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Updated July 2026 • 7 min read

How to Get Plan Management Added to Your NDIS Plan

Illustration of a participant talking with an NDIS plan manager about adding plan management, shown as a puzzle piece being added to their plan document.

If you would like to use a plan manager but it is not currently included in your NDIS plan, this is a common situation, and it can usually be sorted out. 


This guide explains how to get plan management added to your NDIS plan, whether you are preparing for a planning meeting, approaching a plan reassessment, or partway through your current plan. 


The process is simpler than most people expect. With a clear request and a simple explanation, plan management can usually be added without difficulty. At First2Care, we help participants through this process every day, so you understand what to ask for and what happens next.

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In this guide

01

What is NDIS plan management

02

Does your current NDIS plan already include plan management?

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This is one of the clearest signals that something is not right. You can switch plan managers at any time, without NDIA approval and without affecting your funding. A reasonable notice period in your service agreement (often two to four weeks) is completely normal, it simply allows a clean handover of any outstanding invoices. What is not normal is a plan manager who becomes evasive when you ask about leaving, discourages you from exploring other options, or makes the process sound far more complicated than it is. A confident, trustworthy plan manager will always respect your right to choose. For a step by step, read: How to Switch NDIS Plan Managers.

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What is NDIS plan management?

Plan management is a way of managing your NDIS funding where a registered plan manager processes your invoices, tracks your budget, and submits claims to the NDIA for you. It gives you the flexibility to use both registered and unregistered providers, and it removes the financial administration from your day to day. 

 

Plan management is funded through a support category called Improved Life Choices, which sits within your Capacity Building budget. The NDIA adds this funding on top of your existing supports. It is not taken from them. 

 

If you are on a PACE plan, this category may appear in your plan as Choice and Control. It is the same category. If you would like a fuller explanation, read our guide: What Is NDIS Plan Management?

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Does your current NDIS plan already include plan management?

Before you do anything else, it is worth checking whether plan management funding is already in your plan. Look for a support category called Improved Life Choices in your plan document, or Choice and Control if you are on a PACE plan. 

 

If it is there, you already have what you need. You can choose a plan manager, sign a service agreement, and start. You do not need to contact the NDIA at all. 

 

If you are not sure, your Local Area Coordinator or the NDIA can check for you. A Local Area Coordinator is the organisation that helps you use your plan in your area. If it is not there, the next sections explain how to have it added.

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Adding plan management at a new NDIS planning meeting

If you are preparing for your first NDIS plan, or for a planning meeting after a break from the scheme, this is the simplest time to ask. You request it before the plan is finalised, and the planner includes it from the start. 

 

When you meet with your NDIA planner or Local Area Coordinator, tell them you would like plan management included in your plan. You do not need a formal letter or a detailed justification. A simple request is enough.

For example:  "I would like plan management included in my plan so I can choose a plan manager to help manage my funding." 

 

You may be asked whether you have a plan manager in mind. You do not need one yet. It is fine to say you will look at your options once your plan is approved. Once your plan is approved with Improved Life Choices funding, you can contact a plan manager and start straight away.

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Adding plan management at NDIS plan reassessment

Yes. A plan reassessment is one of the most common times participants ask for plan management. A plan reassessment used to be called a plan review. The NDIA changed the name in 2022. You may still hear both terms used.

 

During a reassessment, your goals, supports, and funding levels are all looked at again. This makes it a good time to raise any changes to how your plan is managed. 

When funding management is discussed, you can say: 

"I would like to move to plan management and have Improved Life Choices funding added to my new plan." 

 

You can ask for this whether you are currently NDIA managed, or self managed and ready to hand over the administration to someone else. 

 

It helps to have a simple reason ready. You do not need to write a submission. One clear sentence is enough. Common reasons include:

 

  • you want the flexibility to use both registered and unregistered providers 

  • you would like someone else to process your invoices so you can focus on your supports 

  • you find the financial administration of self management difficult or time consuming 

  • a provider you want to work with only takes plan managed participants

 

Any of these is enough. Planners and Local Area Coordinators hear them every day.

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Adding plan management between reassessments

You do not have to wait for your scheduled reassessment. If your plan does not currently include plan management, you can ask for a plan variation. This is a request for the NDIA to change one part of your plan without looking at the whole plan again. 

 

Adding Improved Life Choices funding through a plan variation is a standard request, and the NDIA processes these regularly. 

 

There are four ways to start: 

 

  • Contact the NDIA directly. Call 1800 800 110 and ask to speak with someone about a plan variation to add Improved Life Choices funding. Say clearly that you would like plan management included, and that it will not affect your other supports. 

 

  • Speak with your Local Area Coordinator. Your Local Area Coordinator is often the most practical first contact. They can submit the request to the NDIA for you and help you include any useful information. 

 

  • Ask your support coordinator. If your plan includes Support Coordination, your support coordinator can help you make the request and speak on your behalf during the process. 

 

  • Use the my NDIS participant portal. In some cases you may be able to start a plan variation request online through the my NDIS participant portal. 


Whichever way you choose, keep your request short and direct. Explain that you want plan management added, that it is funded through a separate Improved Life Choices budget, and that it will not affect your existing supports. 


If you are not sure where to start, First2Care can explain exactly what to say. Call us on 1300 322 273 or book a free meeting.

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What should you say when requesting plan management?

Some participants delay asking because they are not sure how to word the request, or whether they need a strong reason. You do not need to build a case. 


Here is wording you can use in any of the conversations above:

“I would like plan management funding added to my NDIS plan. I understand this is funded through the Improved Life Choices support category, separately from my other supports. I would like to choose my own plan manager to process my invoices and manage the financial side of my plan.” 

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If you are asked why you want it: 

 

“I would like a plan manager to process my invoices so I can focus on my supports and goals. I would also like the flexibility to use both registered and unregistered providers, which plan management allows.”

 

That is all you need. This request is routine. It is not unusual, it is not difficult to approve, and you do not need to prove hardship or show a complex support need.

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How long does it take to add plan management to your NDIS plan?

The timeframe depends on how you make the request. 

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  • At a new planning meeting or plan reassessment. Plan management funding is built into the plan before it is issued. Once your plan is approved and you receive it, usually within a few weeks of the meeting, you can contact a plan manager straight away.

 

  • Through a plan variation. The NDIA has set timeframes for this. Once it has the information it needs from you, it will tell you its decision within 21 days. If your plan is varied, you receive a copy of the updated plan within 7 days of that decision. 

 

In practice, the total time depends on how quickly the NDIA has everything it needs from you. If the NDIA asks for more information, the 21 days starts once you have provided it. Your Local Area Coordinator or support coordinator can help you follow up if you have not heard back. 

 

Once your plan includes Improved Life Choices funding, there is no further waiting. First2Care can start setting up your account as soon as your plan is in place.

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What happens once plan management is added to your NDIS plan?

Once Improved Life Choices funding is in your plan, the next steps that are straightforward. 

 

  • Choose your plan manager. You can choose any registered NDIS plan manager. If you are considering First2Care, call us, book a meeting online, or contact us through our website, and we will explain everything.

 

  • Sign a service agreement. Your plan manager will send you a service agreement to read and sign. At First2Care, we write these in everyday words, and you sign electronically in a few minutes. 

 

  • Your plan manager is connected to your plan. Your plan manager is recorded as one of your my providers through the NDIA system, which formally links them to your funding. They handle this, so you do not need to contact the NDIA again. 

 

  • Your account is set up. Within the first week, your plan manager sets up your account, activates your Plan Magic portal, and contacts your providers so they can start submitting invoices.

 

From the day you sign with First2Care to your first paid invoice is usually one to two weeks. For the full picture, read our guide: What Happens After You Sign Up With a Plan Manager?

Frequently Asked Questions

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Getting started is closer than you think

If you are thinking about adding plan management to your NDIS plan, First2Care can explain the process simply. 


We help you understand what to ask for, how to approach your planning conversation, and what happens once plan management is in your plan.

Read from First2Care

First2Care is a registered NDIS plan management provider (ABN: 24 601 046 155), approved by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. This article is for general information only. For advice specific to your plan, please speak with your NDIA planner, Local Area Coordinator, or the First2Care team directly. 

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